lesson: adapted authority
grades 9th - 12th
Adapted Authority Plan, Supports, & Adaptations
Level: high school, grades 9-12
Focuses: textiles, fiber work, weaving
Interdisciplinary: history, world languages, world cultures
Student Examples
Through this lesson, students learn about Chinese culture by weaving a wall hanging or useful item focusing on the Twelve Symbols of Sovereignty, which are introduced to students as important cultural designs on ancient Chinese robes and garments. Students plan and connect their own selves to one or two symbols, then make their own drop spindle, spin yarn, naturally dye the hand spun yarn, and then weave their symbol into wall hanging or useful item.
Twelve Symbols of Sovereignty
The Twelve Symbols of Sovereignty are a symbolic interpretation of the universe, these symbols of imperial authority assumed a cosmic significance and represented the emperor as the son of heaven and the ruler of "All under heaven".
The symbols (their numbers accumulated over the years) appeared on the sacrificial robes (also called dragon robes) of the emperor:
visuals and vocabulary
Sun (日 - rì)
The Sun symbolizes the source of life. In the context of sovereignty, the Sun is the symbol of enlightenment and is sometimes depicted by the three-legged bird (crow) on a red disc.
[The three-legged bird is a creature of various mythologies, it inhabits and represents the Sun.]
Mountain (山 - shān)
The mountain is the symbol of the emperor's ability to rule earth and water, a symbol of stability and of the Earth itself.
(Earth is one of the five elements.)
Dragon (龍 - lóng)
The five-clawed dragon is the emperor's sacred symbol of imperial power, representing dignity.
Even though dragons are mythological animals, they are symbols of the natural world, rulers of the seas and the skies.
Dragons symbolize adaptability as they are capable of transformations, they also symbolize power and they are the highest symbol of good luck in the animal kingdom.
Two Goblets (宗彝 - zōng yí)
A pair of bronze (colored) sacrificial goblets the symbol of imperial loyalty, it symbolizes also the virtue of filial piety (a form of ancestor worship)
Depicted on the goblets are the two animal kings in the Garden of the Emperor, a tiger or a lion (representing physical strength), and a monkey (cleverness), the tiger as a symbol of the courage to protect and the monkey which stands for intelligence.
Fu symbol (黻 - fú)
The bow shaped "fu" sign represents collaboration and the power of the emperor to distinguish evil from good, right from wrong.
(黻 [fú] - an archaic term for an embroidered pattern that is depicted on formal dresses.)
Moon (月 - yuè)
A symbol of heaven. The moon is depicted as a light blue or green disc enclosing the legendary hare (Jade Rabbit) pounding the elixir of immortality.
[Jade Rabbit or Moon Rabbit, according to Chinese beliefs, is a companion of the moon goddess Chang'e (嫦娥; pinyin: Cháng'é), constantly pounding the elixir of life.]
Constellation of Three Stars (星辰 - xīngchén)
The Constellation of Three Stars represents possibly Big Dipper and is a symbol of the cosmic universe.
The universe, as personified by the emperor, is an unending source of pardon and love.
Pheasant (華蟲)
A symbol of literary refinement. Dragons and Chinese pheasants represent the animal and bird kingdoms, meaning they represent the whole natural world.
Grain (粉米 - fěn mǐ) [rice grain; literal: rice powder]
Grain represents the emperor's capacity to feed his people, so prosperity and fertility.
Fire (火 - huǒ) [flame]
Fire is one of the five elements and represents the emperors intellectual
brilliance, it also symbolises the summer solstice.
Axe head (黼 - fǔ), [axe shaped]
The Axe stands for 'cut-off' and represents the emperor's power to act decisively.
(黼 [fǔ] An axe shaped embroidered pattern on formal dresses.)
Descriptions sourced from:
https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/symbols_of_sovereignty.htm
how does this relate to me?
worksheet/journal
what I have come across is while teaching lessons is students saying, "how does this relate to me?". I really want students to be engaged with what they are learning and want them to know that art projects can relate to their own lives. Knowing they can be creative with their emotions and experiences in life.
Using this worksheet is something I want to continue with future lessons (adapted for specificity) to show students and encourage them that they can relate to artworks and artists. I will use this worksheet as a starting point after students get an introduction to the lesson and after learning the symbols.
how to make your own drop spindle!
demo video
types of wool and how it's spun tactile/sensory board
tapestry basics/introduction: handout
provided by Kyoung Ae Cho
Lexy Ho-Tai
artist reference slideshow
adaptations
In creating adaptations for this lesson, and keeping grade level in mind, I looked through both the class resources like Special Artists' Handbook and drew on my own experience working with a teenager with autism on graphic design projects.
One of the things that helped that student was to relate their skill set to the project we were doing: for example, if they really were interested in a specific aspect of the design program we used, I let them know that it's very beneficial that they were so interested in that function because it would come in handy for our projects. My goal was to make the student feel like their specific interests, and what they identified as their own skills, were necessary and valuable for the work assigned to all students. This also goes in hand with the idea of teaching to a student's assets first, rather than looking at the skills they need work on as your primary action.
For students on the autism spectrum, I wanted to create a tactile learning support that they could use to connect visualization of the different types of yarn and roving. Passing this around as the demonstration video is shown would function as a "fidget" for students, as well as a way to gauge any textural issues they had. I would prepare pre-spun or pre-plyed yarn, or even a thick cord or fabric, to give to students who found the texture of the roving or yarn to be unpleasant.
For Deaf or hard of hearing students, I have included captions on the demonstration video as well as text-based resources. I would offer to play the video in the background so that students who may not be able to hear offerings of help could refer to the video until I have had time to check in on each student individually and help them with any issues.
For students with reduced dexterity, I would offer two things: a thick cardboard shuttle that they could grasp more easily than a tapestry needle, and a tapestry reed. I would offer the tapestry reed to all students because it makes the project more accessible to begin with, but specifically for students who may have difficulty with fine motor skills, the tapestry reed would be very helpful. Basically it makes it so that the design being woven doesn't have to be manually picked out string by string; the tapestry reed allows the weaver to move certain strands up or down by just turning the reed.